Living The American Dream

It’s been a long road to success for Fred Sadeghi since his early days as a taxi driver in unknown territory. His story is a great example of the American dream.

“I have been a proud citizen of this country for 25 years. I feel like an American,” Sadeghi said. “I worked seven days a week for a long time. I now take Sundays off. However, I still feel the most comfortable while at work. I keep a strong passion for this company. It’s like raising a child.”

It’s important for Sadeghi to make the rounds each day at his company’s facility in Scottsdale. He likes to visit with employees and see what areas of his business need the most attention.

“My day in the office begins with paperwork. I will then walk around each department to show I’m available to help and listen,” he said. “Hard work, persistence and surrounding myself with some of the best employees in the business has led to our growth over the years.”

Transtyle’s facility is in northern Scottsdale, a city of approximately 230,000 residents located on the east side of the metropolitan Phoenix area. Scottsdale is well known for its hospitality industry and tourism. The city’s slogan is, “The West’s Most Western Town.”

“Scottsdale is a great place for our operations base. It allows us to tap into some of the premier travel locations in Arizona,” Sadeghi said. “I have found running a business in Arizona also has its advantages. The cost of labor and taxes is lower compared to many states. It seems a lot of our employees are also very family-oriented. There are a lot of benefits to working and living in Arizona. It’s not just about the great weather.”

The Transtyle location in Scottsdale includes a newly designed garage facility. It features state-of-the-art equipment for repairing the company’s wide range of vehicles — from sedans to luxury motorcoaches.

“We are located on a 2.5-acre lot. It’s not real big, but it’s laid out well for parking vehicles,” he added. “We are minutes away from a major freeway, allowing quick access to any point in the Phoenix metro market.

“Transtyle services a large geographic marketplace. Our main operation encompasses the entire Southwest and all of California, but we have traveled from Washington, D.C. to Washington state — and many points in-between.”

According to Sadeghi, all his success as a transportation provider comes back to providing solid customer service. It’s also important to know exactly how much to charge for a particular service or trip — a key business ingredient that he said not every operator follows.

“It’s hard to figure out how some companies make money due to their low rates. They may not be paying their drivers very well,” Sadeghi said. “I would rather keep rates a little higher and concentrate on customer service. At the end of the year I always look at volume and what we are making from each customer group. We make decisions on specific rates to charge based on volume.

“Part of our success is also making sure that there are no unpleasant surprises for our customers. Before a trip, we can send them a photo showing their specific vehicle, along with a photo of their driver and our contact information. It’s important that everything is clear upfront for our customers.”

Being well-versed on the type of customers expected for a particular trip is also vital, according to Sadeghi.

“Everything has to be calculated. It’s good to know what type of group is going to use your services. Your customers should also understand and obey all company rules,” he explained. “It’s important that everything is clear to the person in charge of a group. This helps protect our equipment from damage.”

Technology has also allowed Transtyle customers and employees to keep up with the latest developments at the company. This includes three different Transtyle apps, one each designed for drivers, customers and mobile dispatch.

“With this app, customers can book a trip, see what their vehicle will look like and get confirmation that everything is ready to go,” Sadeghi said. “We will continue to use new technology to make it easier for customers to do business with us.

“Destination management companies that we work with also love this type of technology. They can use our app to quickly book a trip and receive confirmation.”

Sadeghi is very optimistic about the future of not only his business, bus similar transportation providers throughout North America.

“I see no end to the transportation marketplace. More people seem to be shopping for better value, and that’s what we are focusing on, too, as a transportation provider,” he said. “When it comes to international travelers and snow birds, more people in these markets are wanting a quality experience. This is good news for Transtyle.

“You have to make sure your customers are happy. They are, after all, the ones paying for the services being provided.”